The Keeper of Souls
by LordAlexander74
Summary: This is the story of a cursed elf, abandoned by all and forced to survive on his own. Whether he finds what he seeks in life is up to fate…
1. The Beginning of the End

I grew up on the edge of the Du Weldenvarden with a group of very superstitious elves. The day I was born marked my fate for the rest of my life. It was a cursed day, and anyone born on it would me marked for life. The community christened me Ruidrik, one of the darkest names in the ancient tongue. At the christening, a prophet walked up and uttered the words which stuck with me for life:

_One born on a cursed day_

_Another born on a cursed night_

_Two will become one_

_Bound to an ancient spirit_

_A plague upon this land_

Because of this, my family were shunned by the others, and forced to live alone.

My father wasn't happy at all because of this, and proceeded to abuse me and my mother. She pointed out that it wasn't entirely her fault, that he contributed to her pregnancy and that it wasn't her decision to give birth on such a black day, but my father only beat her up more. I didn't understand such violence, and didn't speak up for fear of my father's wrath. He slapped me, beat me up, locked me away in the dark basement, among other things, yet my mother was always there to comfort me, until one day.

We were walking in the forest, taking in the natural beauty, when I sensed my mother had become more distant and less caring toward me. I asked her what was wrong, and she said I was the cause of all the distress in her life. Had I not been born, she and her loving husband would still be living where they belong. She cursed the day I was born, and hoped I was happy with the fact that her life was ruined because of me.

I could not believe that the one person in my life who even remotely cared for me, especially my mother, could just throw me aside like unwanted trash. Momentarily stunned by this I ran, crying, to get away from such betrayal, such stupidity, such distrust…

I do not know how long I ran, but I recall dashing out of the Du Weldenvarden, crossing deep valleys and scaling jagged cliffs, all the while looking for someone who I could love and trust. After many days of constant movement, I ended up collapsing in a dark forest, exhausted and starving. I was utterly dismayed by the fact that there seemed to be no one in this world to care for me. I couldn't even find the one the prophecy spoke of, so I decided to depart for the afterlife, hoping to find resolution there.

I laid down in the roots of a great tree, calmly awaiting what was inevitable. Torrential rain poured around me, and massive arcs of lightning illuminated the sky. To the northwest I sensed the stench of death, but that didn't matter anymore. Nothing did, except the moment in which I would be released from this cruel, unforgiving world. Eventually sleep overtook me, and I fell into a state of slumber from which I hopefully would not wake up.


	2. Two Will Become One

_Am I dead? no…still alive…_

A moist object scraped against my cheek. I tried to open my eyes to see what it was, but I was so bloody tired I could barely move. Then something bit my ear, and squeaked. Gathering what was left of my strength, I raised my head and opened my eyes. On my chest was a little creature that I have never seen before.

It was covered in scales of the purest black, andtwo sets ofwings many times longer than its body were folded on its back. The creature's eyes sparkled like a fresh sapphire, and rows of sharp teeth as smooth as ivory were studded inside its mouth. I raised my hand to touch the little being before me who bit my finger, apparently thinking I was food. I sat up and the creature jumped off me and began to run away.

"Wait" I called out, not wanting it to leave just yet. The creature turned its head and regarded me curiously. I beckoned it to come closer, hoping to appear as a friend.

"You want to survive in this wretched forest, do you not?" I told it, as it walked up to me cautiously.

"Then let us work together. While I may seem distrusting at first, that feeling arose because of my childhood. I have been seeking a friend for the longest time, besides fate may have foretold our partnership a while ago. Now will you join me so that we may get out of this place alive, and prove to those who wish to see us dead that we should live? Just because we reek of darkness doesn't mean we wish anyone harm."

I smiled and once again held out my hand. The creature arched its long neck and nuzzled my palm with its head. A strange feeling welled up within me, and I was surprised since I had not felt this way about something since the earliest days of my childhood.

_Love_ I thought, picking up the creature who hummed contentedly in my lap. The rainstorm had stopped, though the trees were still dripping. Distant thunder rumbled off in the distance as I got up with my new friend in my arms.

_At least I hope it stay's that way_ I thought, wondering what I would do if this being abandoned me as well. As if it read my mind, the creature looked up at me with an expression of extreme trust and affection.

"I will not abandon you either, little one" I said in return, scratching its head. "Now let us find something to eat. I'm sure you are as starving as I am."

Marching off into the dark forest, my new friend and I looked around for anything that might be edible. We wandered far and long, finding nothing but near-dead scrubs. So lonely and desolate this forest was, almost as if there was a force keeping life away.

_If that's true, then how are we supposed to survive?_ I wondered, leaning on a small tree. My ears perked up as the creature in my arms began to growl. Looking around warily, I noticed huge footprints in the muddy ground. I began to walk away but didn't get far, for a huge wolf blocked his path. The beast slashed me across the belly, sending the little creature flying out of his arms. I fell back onto a tree, then looked on in horror as the wolf advanced upon my unconscious friend.

"So much potential…So much love… No longer will fate take away the only love and trust I can get!" I yelled. A strange power arose in me, and I sent forth my mind to confront the wolf, who was about to close his jaws around the delicate head of my friend. Clasping my mental fist around the beasts throat, I tore it out in a gush of blood.

"Suffer for the pain you've inflicted!" said I, gasping heavily and watching the wolf struggle to breathe._ Must live…for…_ I swayed and then collapsed, rapidly sinking into the depths of unconsciousness.


	3. Sorrow

Author's Note: Just so you know, I edited that scene about Iormungr's parents to make it more to my liking.

From what I recall, I was unconscious for a few hours. I awoke when my little friend slipped water he collected in a leaf down my throat. As I sat up, my friend leapt onto my chest, and caressed my face lovingly. I noticed there were bits of blood and meat stuck to his teeth, and assumed he must have taken a bite out of the wolf. Feebly crawling over to the dead wolf with my friend happily plodding alongside me, I tore off what I could and ate it greedily. So hungry was I that the wolf was half gone by the time I was full. My friend took a couple more bites, then we walked over to a puddle and drank until our thirst was sated. I looked around and noticed the forest was as silent as usual, except for the occasional whisper of wind and the growling of some distant wolf.

"This darkness appears eternal" I said to my friend, who has taken roost upon my shoulder. "We shall have to get used to it fast; it doesn't look like there's going to be any sun for a while."

Then a layer of clouds passed us by, momentarily revealing a shimmering orb of light. I did not take notice of it, for my attention was turned toward cliffs stained with the crimson color of blood, which rose to my right. My eyes wandered up the cliff, and when I found the source of all that blood, I was greatly shocked at what I saw. A body of a massive beast laid in eternal rest on the cliff's edge, and looked very similar to my friend. I felt a slight shudder on my shoulder, and as I turned to face my friend, I found that he appeared to be crying.

"That beast up there, is it one of your parents?" I asked softly, comforting the creature in my arms. He looked up and nodded, trying to soak up these feelings of sadness and return to his normally cheerful attitude. Looking up at the corpse once again, I noticed it, a female, had great gashes in her side. I pointed this out to my friend, and felt a tendril of his thoughts enter my mind.

"You remember what happened to them?" I asked, looking him in the eyes. He nodded, then expanded his mind and showed me the fate of his parents.

I saw the image of a massive red beast standing in the mouth of a cave, appearing to be very angry with his mate. There was a golden beast within the cave, standing protectively over a black egg which I knew must be my friends, snapped back at him, hurt and saddened by his actions. The red beast lunged at his mate, but she ducked under him and flipped him aside. Carrying the egg in her mouth, the golden one ran out of the cave and took flight into the nightsky, with her mate almost on her tail.

The red one quickly caught and attacked her, and she quickly retaliated. The fight didn't last long, and the golden one, dripping with blood, had barely enough energy to stay afloat and hold her egg in her mouth. Her mate raised his hand for the final blow, and struck, sealing his fate as a tortured soul for all his years, then fled into the unknown. Her body fell to the cliffs below, and she did not have much time left. The golden one spoke to her unhatched child, though weakly. _"My son, take your mother's love with you throughout your life. Your father had no right to be so angry at something neither of us could control… Goodbye, Iormungr my son…"_ And then the golden one died, but not before tossing her egg off the cliff so he wouldn't see the carnage on its top.

When all this was done, my friend Iormungr looked up at me wondering why his father would do such a thing. To him, I said that his father's actions might've been the product of his intense beliefs about certain omens, like us, and that he might just still be alive somewhere.

"We may encounter such believers later in our lives. If they dare strike out against us, we will defend ourselves. I'd rather not kill, but if we have no choice, then so be it. Such intense beliefs are a pox upon this land." I whispered resolutely, as my friend nodded his head in agreement.

------------------

After we found the fates of his parents, Iormungr and I departed to a less morbid portion of the forest. We saw nothing but the occasional wolf and deer, which we killed with our mental skills. What we could find we ate when needed, which wasn't much. Eventually we came upon a portion of the forest where we found much larger wolves, and many other animals as well. Many times have we been nearly killed by these beasts, and our evasion and hunting skills have increased greatly because of this.

As we grew up together, Iormungr and I became one with the darkness of the forest. Soon the animals became afraid of us, but we were still successful hunters. Iormungr was growing at an amazing rate; he was now much taller than I and many times longer. During this period, we strived to master our bodies and minds. Where we found flaws, we worked to conquer them, increasing our strength even more.

"_If only we had formal instruction, to help train the darkness and power within us" _I complained, during our daily training.

_Yes, that would be a great help_ replied Iormungr.

We sat atop a mountain on the edge of the forest, taking in our surroundings with interest. The clouds roiled above us, keeping the forest in eternal night. I kept having these feelings that someone or something was watching us, and that being was very powerful. We tried to look for the source of this power, but found nothing as of yet.

Many years passed as Iormungr and I progressed with our daily routines. I cannot remember exactly how old we were at the time, but I think I was about 15 years old, and Iormungr three or four younger than I. My favorite part of this time was sitting on the edge of a cliff watching my brother, as we now call each other, flying throughout the sky. He enjoyed this experience and freedom so much, and often took me along with him. We lived quite well in the forest, far away from those who would do us harm just because of the darkness in our souls. All was well for a while, until one day in which our lives changed greatly.


End file.
